Yes, it’s the first day of Blogtober! If you’re not aware, Blogtober is an annual blogging event where bloggers post once a day (or maybe more regularly than normal) throughout October, usually focusing on autumn/fall themes or spooky season (Halloween!). I do try to post every day through October, but some years I don’t quite make it. But this year I am a little bit ahead, so it’s definitely a case of see how it goes.
As for today, I wanted to start this month off by highlighting five of the horror books I’ve read over the last year that I really enjoyed. Blogtober really gives me a chance to lean into horror on this blog – usually my horror (and horror related) stuff is kept for Divination Hollow, but during Blogtober I get to spotlight horror here, too. So if you like horror and you’re looking for your next horror read, these are ones I really recommend.
My Five Favourite Horror Novels
From the Last Year
Jacked Up by Latrexa Nova
Genre: Horror – Paranormal Romance
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: November 24th, 2023
I loved this book. I got this in the June Stuff Your Kindle event, and read it almost instantly. It’s a weird, fun, memorable book that goes down some dark paths. Basically, it’s a book where the MMC is a possessed Jack-in-the-box, and I adored it.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Genre: Horror – Gothic
Age: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Published: September 21st, 1962
This book is deliciously creepy. The gothic atmosphere is great, the unreliable narrator is used to full effect, and it’s got a lingering sense of unease to it. Prior to this, I’d read Jackson’s other famous works – The Haunting of Hill House and The Lottery – and liked both, so I knew going on I’d probably enjoy this one, but I was still pleasantly surprised.
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea
Genre: Horror – Fantasy
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: August 29th, 2023
I adored this book! As a girl who took ballet for all of two weeks, I found myself fascinated by the portrayal in this book, which also explores the toxicity and racism in ballet itself. It’s a brilliant, beautiful book.
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
Genre: Horror – Contemporary
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: July 9th, 2024
Tingle has quickly shown himself to be a very talented horror writer, and from this and Camp Damascus I’m pretty sure he’s only going to get better. I’m so excited to see whatever he comes out with next!
My Throat an Open Grave by Tori Bovalino
Genre: Horror – Fantasy – Gothic
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: February 20th, 2024
This is another YA Horror I absolutely adored. It’s a very slow paced book, but it draws on different sources to create a modern gothic tale that sees the heroine searching for the Lord of the Wood to rescue her brother.
So if you’re looking for something dark or spooky to read this month, I think all of the above offer something very different, but very suitable for Halloween! As always, if you have read these I’d love to hear what you thought, or if you want to share your own horror recommendations, please do.
Unwrapping Words 